Students and teachers will soon be setting alarm clocks for the new school year, but health advocates argue that school bells ring too early for teenagers' biological needs.
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According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, students ages 13 to 18 need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night to function properly. Without adequate rest, teens can experience attention, behavior and learning problems.
Advocates say the solution isn't as simple as going to bed earlier, as teens are biologically wired to fall asleep later than adults and younger children.
"It's really a health crisis that our kids are in," said Katherine Nitz, a chapter leader for Start School Later, a global movement advocating for healthier school schedules.
The organization recommends middle schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools begin at 8:30 a.m. or later.
In 2018, Nitz started a Start School Later chapter in Rochester Hills to address what she describes as chronic sleep deprivation in teens.
"Kids really need that 5 a.m. - 7 a.m. sleep, that REM sleep. That's when your brain goes through emotional regulation and memory consolidation. So kids are constantly fighting against their biology," Nitz said.
Students feel the impact of early start times on their daily lives and academic performance.
"I hate it. I just hate waking up that early," said Emily Nitz from Rochester Hills.
"It's definitely tough to be ready and focused at 7:30 a.m.," said incoming senior Spencer Scherr. "It's just difficult to feel tired all the time and to know that you can perform better academically."
Scherr took action by speaking with his school leaders about the issue, helping to change the start time at Seaholm High School in Birmingham from 7:30 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. this year.
"Obviously, we as an organization with Start School Later, we definitely wanted to push back further, but that was all we were able to get this year," Scherr said.
The Troy Public School District is also examining the possibility of later start times.
"This has been a conversation that the board has had at times during the last number of years," said Dan Trudel, Troy's assistant superintendent.
Trudel explained that implementing later start times involves numerous considerations, including impacts on sports and extracurricular programming, students with jobs, and the district's bus routes.
"I think the easiest way is to say let's hire 20 more drivers and then we can accommodate," Trudel said.
While adding more drivers would be the least disruptive solution, it comes with significant costs.
"When you look at an upwards of $70,000 annually for a route, and if I had to add 20 to 25 routes, you're well over a million dollars just from that," Trudel said.
The district has hired an outside vendor to assess their transportation system and plans to present 4 - 5 options to the Board of Education in the fall.
Despite the challenges, advocates remain convinced of the benefits.
"Any district can do this, and it will be in the best interest of every single student," Nitz said.
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